Rotary engine of the sliding vane type



Jan. 5, 1965 A. 1. APPLETON 3,164,139

ROTARY ENGINE OF THE SLIDING VANE TYPE Filed Feb. 23. 1961 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR. 4 I? THUR A PPL [IO/V ATTXQ Jan. 5, 1965 A. l. APPLETON ROTARY ENGINE OF THE SLIDING VANE TYPE 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 23, 1961 IN V EN TOR.

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ROTARY ENGINE OF THE SLIDING VANE TYPE Filed Feb. 23. 1961 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN VEN TOR.

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Jan. 5, 1965 A. l. APPLETON ROTARY ENGINE OF THE SLIDING VANE TYPE INVENTOR.

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Jan. 5, 1965 A. l. APPLETON ROTARY ENGINE OF THE SLIDING VANE TYPE 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Feb. 23, 1961 United States Patent Cfifice 3,164,139 ROTARY ENGKNE OF THE SLIDING VANETYPE Arthur I. Appleton, N orthbrook, Ill. (1713 Wellington Ave, Chicago, Iii.) Filed Feb. 23, 1961, Ser. No. 91,169 2 Claims. (Cl. 12.3'14) The present invention relates to the field of rotary internal combustion engines and, more particularly, to a rotary engine of the sliding vane type finding utility in a broad range of power applications.

One object of the invention is to provide a rotary internal combustion engine of the nature just set forth and having a power-weight ratio substantially higher than that of engines of the type known heretofore.

Another object is to provide a rotary internal combustion engine of the above-mentioned type which will be simpler in construction and operation and hence susceptible of more economical manufacture than previously known engines.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent as the following detailed description proceeds, taken together with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical sectional view through one form of engine and exemplifying the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view through the casing of the engine of FIG. 1 and taken in the plane of the line 22 to show details of port con struction.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through the engine of FIG. 1 and taken along the diameter of the rotor and casing in the plane of the line 3-3.

FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 are sequential views illustrating the intake cycle of the engine of FIG. 1.

FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 are sequential views illustrating the compression cycle of the engine of FIG. 1.

FIGS. 10, 11 and 12 are sequential views illustrating the power cycle of the engine of FIG. 1.

FIGS. 13, 14 and 15 are sequential views illustrating the exhaust cycle of the engine of FIG. 1.

FIG. 16 is a vertical sectional view through another form of engine also exemplifying the present invention.

FIG. 17 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view through the casing of the engine of FIG. 16 and taken in the line 17-17 to show details of port construction.

FIG. 18 is a longitudinal sectional view through the engine of FIG. 16 and taken along the diameter of the rotor and casing in the plane of the line 1818.

FIGS. 19, 20 and 21 are sequential views illustrating the intake cycleof the engine of FIG. 16.

FIGS. 22, 23, and 24 are sequential views illustrating the compression cycle of the engine of FIG. 16.

FIGS. 25, 26 and 27 are sequential views illustrating the power cycle of the engine of FIG. 16.

FIGS. 28, 29 and 30 are sequential views illustrating the exhaust cycle of the engine of FIG. 16.

While the invention is susceptible of various modifications and alternative constructions, certain illustrative embodiments have been shown in the drawings and will be described below in considerable detail. It should be understood, however, that there is no intention to limit the invention to the specific forms disclosed, but, on the contrary, the intention is to. cover all modifications, alternative constructions and equivalents falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

Turning now to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the invention is there exemplified in an illustrative rotary engine E. The latter comprises a block which may be fabricated in any convenient number of sections and arranged for either fluid or air cooling. The block 50 has defined therein a 3,164,139 Patented Jan. 5, 19 65 large central rotor chamber 51 of cylindrical shape and which houses a rotor 52 keyed or otherwise fixed to a power shaft 54. The rotor and shaft 52, 54 are journaled in a pair of antifriction bearings 55, 56, one on either side of the block 50, and rotate in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 1. Shaft seals 58, 59 are associated with respective ones of the bearings and are carried in outboard retainer caps 60, 61. The block and rotor include means for inducing a charge of mixed fuel and air into the rotor chamber 51, compressing and firing the charge, and exhausting it from the rotor chamber, all in the course of a single revolution of the rotor.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the block includes a combustion chamber 62 in the outer peripheral wall of the rotor chamber 51. The combustion chamber is equipped with a spark plug 64 or other suitable ignition device actuated in timed relation to the movement of the rotor. Situated substantially opposite the combustion chamber and also in the outer peripheral Wall of the rotor chamber is an intake port means which, in this instance, comprises a pair of laterally spaced intake ports 65. The latter extend from the exterior of the block 50 into the rotor chamber and serve to conduct successive charges of fuel-air mixture from a suitable carburetion device (not shown) into the rotor chamber 51. Intermediate the combustion chamber 62 and the intake ports 65 are one or more exhaust ports 66, in this case three in number. Mounted adjacent the trailing end of the combustion chamber (with respect. to the direction of rotor movement) and disposed transversely of the rotor is a sliding abutment 68. The latter has a width at least as great as the width of the outer portion of the rotor and is yieldably biased as by spring means 69, to bear against and follow the outer periphery of the rotor. Substantially opposite the abutment 68, and situated between the intake ports 65 and adjacent exhaust port 66, is another sliding abutment 70 similar to the abutment 68. The abutment 70 is also yieldably biased as by spring means 71 to bear against and follow the outer periphery of the rotor.

The rotor 52 in this case comprises a hub 72, a central web 74, and an outer rim 75; The outer rim is closely fitted to the side walls of the rotor chamber 51 and carries annular seal 76, 78 yieldably biased to bear against the rotor chamber side walls. The rotor 52 also includes a power lobe 79 which in the present instance happens to be defined by a crescent-shaped thickening of the rim 75, giving the rotor an eccentricity which may be offset by suitably distributed counterbalancing weight (not shown) on the power shaft or on the rotor itself.

In order to effect application of power to the rotor 52 from the explosions originating in the combustion chamber 62, the rotor is formed with an impulse abutment or shoulder 80 and associated expansion pocket 81 in its outer periphery (FIG. 1). The abutment or shoulder 80 and pocket 81 are situated in the power lobe 79 but terminate short of the lateral edges of the power lobe so that the latter may hold the vanes 68, 70 clear while the abutment 80 and pocket 81 pass thereunder. While the abutment 8i) and pocket 81 may vary somewhat in shape, the latter is of sufficient depth and arcuate length to define a volume substantially greater than that of the combustion chamber alone.

Operatively associated with the impulse abutment or shoulder 80 and the expansion pocket 81 are a pair of slidamount of sliding movement with respect to the rotor. To facilitate maintenance of good contact under starting and low-speed conditions, the vanes 85, 86 may be yieldably urged outwardly as by biasing spring means 85, 86.

In order to facilitate lubrication and coolingof thev rotor 52, the latter may include an oil cavity 88in theweb 74. Oil may be fed to the cavity 88 asby means of a suitable bore, in the power shaft 54 and may be discharged therefrom to the necessary extent required for the lubrication of the seals and sliding vanes via one or more transverse bores 8%, 90 in the rotor rim. The bores 89, 96 communicate with the web cavity 88; and the lateral faces of the rotor rim 75.

In order to facilitate efiicient application of driving pressure from the combustion chamber 62 to the rotor in its desired direction of movement, provision is made for dropping a movable abutment into the expansion pocket 81 in timed relation to the movement of the rotor. This is accomplished in the present instance by the use of an additional sliding seal or abutment 91 having a width equal, except for necessary clearance, to that of the impulse abutment and expansion pocket 86, 81. The seal 91 may; be actuated by mechanical orgas pressure means 91a (not shown in detail) to move in rapidly and follow the expansion pocket 81 but to remain withdrawn so as not to project within the outer periphery of the rotor chamber 51 at any other time. The movable abutment or seal 91 may be slidable, swingable, or both, the important thing being that it drops into the expansion. pocket 81 at or about the instant the impulse abutment 80 reaches the leading edge of the combustion chamber.

The operation of the engine E will become more apparent upon reference to the sequential views of FIGS. 4 to 15, inclusive, which show one complete operating cycle occurring once for each revolution of the rotor. Of these views, as pointed out earlier herein, FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 illustrate intake; FIGS. 7, 8 and 9, compression; FIGS. 10, 11 and 12, power; and FIGS. 13, 14 and 15, exhaust. Referring first to FIGS. 4, Sand 6, it will be noted that intake commences shortly after the power lobe 79 has passedthe abutment 70. Due to the eccentric configuration of the outer periphery of the rotor, the portion of the rotor chamber between the vanes 84 and 70 becomes progressively larger, drawing in the fuel-air mixture via the intake ports 65. This action continues until the charge of fuel-air mixture fills the entire void space in the rotor chamber between the abutment 7d and the opposing abutment 68 on the opposite side of the block. Toward the end of the intake period, the approach of the power lobe 79 as shown in FIG. 6 tends to initiate closing ofi of the intake ports 65.

When the vane 82 passes the intake ports 65, 65, as shown in FIG. 7, the intake cycle is completed and compression of the charge trapped in the rotor chamber between the vane 82 and the abutment 68 commences The volume of the charge becomes progressively smaller as the power lobe approaches the abutment 68, as illustrated in FIGS. '8 and 9. By the time the impulse abutment 80 reaches the combustion chamber 62 the compression cycle is complete and the power cycle is ready'to commence.

Referring next to FIG. 10, it will be noted that the power cycle commences with the firing of the charge at or about the time the impulse abutment has reached the combustion chamber 62 and the sliding seal or abutment 91 has just dropped into the expansion pocket 81. The resulting pressure from the explosion, acting on the im pulse abutment 80 and expansion pocket 81, imparts a substantial increment of power to the rotor in a clockwise direction, as shown in FIG. '11; Theapplication of power continues until the impulse abutment 8t} reaches the first exhaust port 66 and the seal or abutment 91 has reached the trailing end of the expansion pockets, as illustrated in FIG. 12. t

In FIG. 13, the exhaust cycle has commenced and the impulse abutment and expansion pocket are in substantial 4 registry with the first exhaust port. Exhaust continues with further clockwise rotation of the rotor and the last traces of exhaust gases are discharged successively from the remaining exhaust ports 66 as shown in FIGS. 14 and 15. At this point, the rotor has completed its cycle of operation and is ready for the next one.

Referring now to FIGS. 16, 17 and 18, there is shown a modified form of engine E.1 also illustratively embodying the present invention. The engine E-1 differs from the engine E described earlier herein in that it is adapted to develop two power impulses per revolution of rotor as distinguished from the single power impulse per revolution developed by the engine E. The two engines bear considerable similarity to each other and have many parts in common. Accordingly, in describing the engine E1, like reference numerals will be used to designate like parts and attention will be focused first upon the similarities and then upon the differences between the two.

The block 5% and nonrotating parts mounted thereon of the engine B4 are identical with those of the engine E. Briefly summarizing, this includes the rotor chamber 51, combustion chamber 62 and igniting device 64, intake ports 65, exhaust ports 66, and sliding abutments 65, 70, all as previously described. In addition, the block may also include the positively actuated sliding abutment 91 adjacent the combustion chamber and which operates in the same manner as the abutment 91 of the engine E.

The rotor 52a of the engine E-1 also has many features in common with the rotor of the engine E. Accordingly, it will be noted that the rotor 52a includes hub 72 fixed to power shaft 54 which is journaled in the block in the bearings 55 and 56. It further includes a central web 74, outer rim extending the full width of the rotor chamber 51, and annular seals 76 in the side faces of the rim 75. The web 74 contains the oil cavity 88 and transverse oil discharge passages 9%. In addition, the rotor includes power lobe 79, impulse abutment or shoulder 86, expansion pocket 81, and leading and trailing sliding vanes 82, 84 all as described earlier herein.

For the purpose of obtaining a second power impulse per revolution, the rotor 52a is provided with a second power lobe 79a situated in diametrically opposed relation to the first power lobe 79. The power lobe 79a has an impulse abutment or shoulder 8th: and expansion pocket 81a constructed and arranged in a manner similar to those of the power lobe 79. It also includes leading and trailing sliding vanes 82a, 84a which may be yieldably biased outwardly as by spring means 85a, 86a. in addition to its functional effect as to power impulses, this construction serves to produce an inherently balanced rotor in the engine E1, making large counterbalancing weights unnecessary.

The operation of the engine E4 is illustrated sequentially in FIGS. 19 to 30, inclusive. While these views depict a complete operating cycle for one power impulse, it should, of course, be understood that the operating cycle for the second power impulse is occurring simultaneously away tromthe first cycle, with both power impulses occurring during the same revolution of the rotor.

As shown in FIGS. 19, 20 and 21, shortly after the power lobe 79 passes the intake ports 65, a fuel-air charge is drawn into the rotor chamber between the abutment 76 and the power lobe 79. This action continues until the approaching power lobe 79a closes oil the intake ports 55, as indicated in FIG. 21.

The compression period now commences, as shown in FIGS. 22, 23 and 24. Referring particularly to PEG. 22, it will be noted that the trapped charge becomes compressed between the combustion chamber as and its associated abutment 68, on the one hand, and the power lobe 79a and its associated sliding vane 82a, on the other hand. Such action progresses until the vane 32a and impulse abutment 89a reach the combustion chamber 62, a condition approaching this being illustrated in FIG. 24.

With the rotor and impulse abutment 80a at or about the position shown in FIG. 25, the compressed charge in the combustion chamber is fired. An instant or so before this, the sliding seal or abutment 91 is dropped into position against the expansion pocket 81a associated with the impulse abutment. As the exploding gases expand, power is applied to the rotor, driving the same clockwise. Such action continues until the rotor approaches the angular position of FIG. 27.

From this point on, as indicated in FIG. 28, the expanding gases are discharged from the first exhaust port 66. With further rotation of the rotor, the remaining gases are exhausted via the succeeding exhaust ports 66, until, as shown in FIG. 30, the power lobe 79a approaches the intake ports 65. As soon as the lobe 79a has passed the latter, the next operating cycle begins. Meanwhile, as pointed out above, a second operating cycle is already occurring 180 of rotor movement away.

I claim as my invention:

1. A rotary internal combustion engine of the sliding vane type and comprising, in combination, a block having a rotor chamber defined therein, a rotor journaled within said rotor chamber, means defining a combustion chamher in the outer peripheral wall of said rotor chamber,

means defining a pair of laterally spaced intake ports in the outer peripheral wall of said rotor chamber situated substantially opposite said combustion chamber, said in- I mixture into said rotor chamber, means defining at least .one exhaust port in the outer peripheral wall of said rotor chamber between said combustion chamber and said intake ports, a pair of power lobes mounted on said rotor, a pair of sliding vanes mounted transversely of said rotor and disposed respectively in leading and trailing relation with each said power lobe, said vanes being adapted to sealingly engage the inner peripheral wall of said rotor chamber and portions of the rotor chamber side Walls adjacent thereto, means defining an impulse shoulder and expansion pocket in each said power lobe between its associated pair of sliding vanes, said pocket communicating with the outer periphery of said rotor but not with the lateral extremities thereof, a first sliding abutment mounted in said block adjacent the trailing end of said combustion chamber and adapted to follow the outer periphery of said rotor, a second sliding abutment also mounted in said block between said one exhaust port and said intake ports and also adapted to follow the outer periphery of said rotor, a third sliding abutment mounted in said block adjacent the leading end of said combustion chamber and adapted to follow the contour of each said expansion pocket, and means for igniting the charge of fuel and air in said combustion chamber.

2. A rotary internal combustion engine of the sliding vane type, said engine comprising the combination of a block having a rotor chamber defined therein, a power shaft journaled transversely of said rotor chamber, a rotor mounted within said rotor chamber on said power shaft, means defining a combustion chamber in the outer peripheral wall of said rotor chamber, means defining a pair of laterally spaced intake ports in the outer peripheral wall of said rotor chamber situated substantially opposite said combustion chamber, said intake ports being adapted to admit a charge of fuel and air mixture into said rotor chamber, means defining at least one exhaust port in the outer peripheralwall of said rotor chamber between said combustion chamber and said intake ports, a pair of power lobes located in diametrically opposed relation on said rotor, a pair of sliding vanes mounted transversely of said rotor and disposed respectively in leading and trailing relation with each said power lobe, said vanes being adapted to sealingly engage the inner peripheral wall of said rotor chamber and portions of the rotor chamber side walls adjacent thereto, a pair of annular side seals on said rotor, a first sliding abutment mounted in said block adjacent the trailing end of said combustion chamber and yieldably biased to follow the outer periphery of said rotor, a second sliding abutment mounted in said block between said one exhaust port and said intake port and also yieldably biased to follow the outer periphery of said rotor, means defining an impulse shoulder and expansion pocket in each said power lobe, said pocket communicating with the outer periphery of said rotor but not with the lateral extremities thereof, a third sliding abutment mounted in said block adjacent the leading end of said combustion chamber and adapted for actuation in timed relation with said rotor to follow said expansion pockets only, and means for igniting the charge of fuel and air in said combustion chamber.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. A ROTARY INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE OF THE SLIDING VANE TYPE AND COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A BLOCK HAVING A ROTOR CHAMBER DEFINED THEREIN, A ROTOR JOURNALED WITHIN SAID ROTOR CHAMBER, MEANS DEFINING A COMBUSTION CHAMBER IN THE OUTER PERIPHERAL WALL OF THE SAID ROTOR CHAMBER, MEANS DEFINING A PAIR OF LATERALLY SPACED INTAKE PORTS IN THE OUTER PERIPHERAL WALL OF SAID ROTOR CHAMBER SITUATED SUBSTANTIALLY OPPOSITE SAID COMBUSTION CHAMBER, SAID INTAKE PORTS BEING ADAPTED TO ADMIT A CHARGE OF FUEL AND AIR MIXTURE INTO SAID ROTOR CHAMBER, MEANS DEFINING AT LEAST ONE EXHAUST PORT IN THE OUTER PERIPHERAL WALL OF SAID ROTOR CHAMBER BETWEEN SAID COMBUSTION CHAMBER AND SAID INTAKE PORTS, A PAIR OF POWER LOBES MOUNTED ON SAID ROTOR, A PAIR OF SLIDING VANES MOUNTED TRANSVERSELY OF SAID ROTOR AND DISPOSED RESPECTIVELY IN LEADING AND TRAILING RELATION WITH EACH SAID POWER LOBE, SAID VANES BEING ADAPTED TO SEALINGLY ENGAGE THE INNER PERIPHERAL WALL OF SAID ROTOR CHAMBER AND PORTIONS OF THE ROTOR CHAMBER 